Production Paradise is proud to reveal the winners of the 2024 Spotlight Awards, recognizing remarkable talents in 14 categories of commercial photography. Lucila Blumencweig from Argentina claimed the Grand Prize for her work in the Advertising category. Her winning entry, chosen from thousands of submissions, earned her a valuable combination of prizes and industry-wide exposure.
‘’This campaign was shot in natural light, doing a precise scouting and time frame of the sun hitting the spots just like we needed to portray and emphasize the struggle through Alzheimer,’’ - Lucila Blumencweig.
Now in its seventh edition, the Spotlight Awards focus on advertising photography. This unique event targets commercial photography and has a panel of more than 60 judges composed exclusively of industry experts and potential clients. Some of the top creatives from the most influential brands, ad agencies, and magazines in the world took the time to pick out the best of the Spotlight Awards talents. This year, they had to select their winners among thousands of entries.
Anke Luckmann has often wondered whether a later production model 911, or the previous prototype of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS would win a race? At the racetrack in Navarra, Anke had the opportunity to find this out photographically.
''Initially, the day started out rainy with unfavorable weather...however, it proved to be just right for this powerful duel in which the 1036HP Porsche's battled for pole position, lap after lap. The Erlkönig wonby a narrow margin,'' - Anke Luckmann.
Sarah Le Nevé, Visual Identity Project Manager at Moët & Chandon Spotlight Awards Judge: ‘’Projects such as Spotlight Awards allow us to bring together and discuss subjects that fascinate many creative people. I think the number 1 quality of an experience like this is to share the know-how. This allows us to broaden our horizons and see bigger and further.’’
Judges like André Duck (Producer at Porsche, Germany), Joane Banks (Photo Editor, at The Economist, UK), Marcela Ferri (Senior Producer at Netflix, Netherlands), Raphael Soria (Sr. Art Director at Ogilvy, Spain), and Kayahan Uluş (Advertising Coordinator at Turkish Airlines, Turkey), among many others, have chosen the winners – this competition might just be the most global online portfolio review a photographer could ever have.
''It was shot as a personal project with food stylist Sharon Kennedy. We were looking to explore and creatively push ideas with no restrictions.
The concept behind ‘Stick Taste 2’ was to create flavour for your eyes so the viewer could visually taste the image. Each ingredient was styled to its flavour characteristic, sweet and sticky honey, sharp textural cracker, creamy earthy cheese, elegant Prosciutto and subtle sweet notes of the fig.
Technically we elevated and arranged the ingredients to give life in a sculptural way adding shape and contrast through studio lighting,'' - Ben Cole.
For the second year, Production Paradise has included the AI Image Developing & Creating category in its Spotlight Awards. It has invited creatives to develop or create stunning images using AI tools. Canada-based image creator Sy Goldstein has won the most votes with his image ‘’Morning Commute’’, a part of a series about finding a seat during a busy subway commute.
''The image was made using Midjourney AI and Photoshop. People talk a lot about AI hallucinations, most notably with "AI hands", but in my case, I try to lean into the hallucinations, which I feel add a certain something to my work. After all, AI is unlike other mediums, and I feel like the approach should be different, too,'' - Sy Goldstein.
''Walid's life took a transformative turn when, at 14, he was tragically shot on his way home from school, resulting in the amputation of his leg. The aftermath brought not only the challenge of adapting to life with a prosthetic limb but also the onset of Phantom Limb Pain.
As a portrait photographer, I was deeply drawn to the inspirational narrative of Walid's journey. From the heart-wrenching adversity of his injury to his resilience as a refugee adapting to a new country and language, his story is nothing short of remarkable.
My project delves into the multifaceted aspects of Walid's life - capturing the nuances of his Phantom Limb Pain, his transition from being a refugee to a Paralympic hopeful and aspiring prosthetist. I directed a film & shot photography side by side. Dovetailing the two meant we could tell this story in a super efficient and cohesive way,'' - Matthew McQuillan
''My image is about contrast, texture and minimalism. I aimed to create visual tension by incorporating selective coloring and using black and white as the primary element, contrasting it with a vibrant orange of the petals. This contrast draws immediate attention to the organic elements placed on skin, symbolizing a connection between nature and human identity. The texture of the skin, captured in detail with its subtle imperfections and matte finish, contrasts with the soft, delicate quality of the petals.
For me, this interaction between the natural and human forms suggests themes of fragility and resilience, where softness meets strength,'' - Christine Lutz.
''I love this shot because it is a powerful image that beautifully captures the raw intensity of childhood. It showcases not only the emotion of my amazing daughter, but also hints at the complexities of human expression. Kids are so intense, so much of the time, and I love to view the world through their perspective,'' - Matt Anderson.
''Delilah and Richy, photographed here, are two dancers who are a part of a project I've been working on over the last year. The project focuses on a handful of dancers who are all friends and is a celebration of the Baile (dance) scene in California. If Norteño or Banda music is being played, young people will be dancing to it. The scene has its roots in northern Mexico. But fueled recently by TikTok and Instagram, these young dancers have developed their own style of dance and fashion. The project will be a short film and a photo series,'' - James Pearson-Howes
''For this particular shoot, I wanted to create an introspective portrait that captures a moment mid de-drag—a transitional phase often overlooked in the spectacle of performance. This image embodies the aftermath of a show, where the façade drops, revealing the intricate layers of identity beneath. The smudged makeup, the visible ripped wig cap, and glimmering earrings in this unvarnished moment reflect the duality of the performer: Both the dazzling persona that captivates audiences and the authentic individual who exists beyond the stage lights. Having collaborated with Elektra previously, I was keenly aware of her multifaceted talent as a performer and her ability to infuse raw emotion into every moment. Known for her brilliant performances on "RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under", and having an illustrious career both as a dancer, choreographer and creative director. Elektra has the ability to seamlessly blend artistry with truth, making her ideal for this project. While we captured multiple compelling images that I loved, this one particular shot kept pulling me back. It was one of the first shots we took, it has an unguarded quality that drew me in. This moody, enigmatic photograph stirs curiosity about what she could possibly be thinking while she sits in the silence of it all,'' - Sacha Stejko
''It was shot in my studio in Düsseldorf, Germany. The entire underwater scene was a controlled studio set up using artificial strobe lighting to create the illusion of natural light and gentle waves. The perfume flacon is unobtrusively positioned among various rock minerals, all in subtle colors and illuminated by backlighting and streaks of sunlight. Gentle waves ripple across the underwater scene, slightly distorting the details and creating a mystical, dreamlike and vibrant atmosphere.
The image „Eden Roc Diving Between Minerals“ is part of a fragrance series featuring Christian Dior’s oceanic Eden Roc scent, which includes eight main images inspired by the fragrance's key ingredients: sea salt and minerals. Each image in the series, along with its effects and lighting characteristics, was captured entirely in-camera (!). Either the images were taken in one shot, like the winning image, or I used techniques such as motion, long exposures, or multiple exposures. Two things all the images in this fragrance series have in common: no filters and no post-production,'' - Sabine Scheer.
Special thanks to our jury panel and the sponsors: ModelManagement.com, Evoto AI, NPHoto, and frii designs.
“Our Spotlight Awards have given an opportunity to talented photographers to be directly visible to more than 50 of some of the most influential creative decision-makers around the globe. That is exactly what Production Paradise is all about – great imagery in front of great creatives,” says Mariela von Estorff, CEO of Production Paradise.
